Kuwait’s Representative Broke Down Talking About Palestinians’ Suffering Under Israel’s Occupation At The ICJ
Kuwait’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Ali Al-Thefeeri, had to pause multiple times during his speech as he kept breaking down.
Kuwait’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Ali Al-Thefeeri, repeatedly broke down in tears while discussing the plight Palestinians face during a speech at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearing on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation.
The ICJ, the world’s top court, is currently holding six days of hearings in The Hague, Netherlands, to hear arguments from 52 countries and three organizations regarding the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip since 1967.
The hearing follows a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly in December 2022, asking the court to provide a legal opinion on the occupation, and is separate from South Africa’s case against Israel committing genocide in Gaza since Oct. 7.
Speaking on the fourth day of the hearing on February 22nd, Al-Thefeeri became visibly emotional, pausing his remarks several times as he questioned why Israel is allowed to commit crimes against Palestinians and “escape punishment always”.
“Why does the victim continue to be portrayed as the killer, according to Israel’s norms?“, he said, quoting the late Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
“Why have all these souls been lost amid the absence of world countries?” he added, his voice breaking,
He pointed out the “conflict” between Israel and Palestine is one involving unequal sides – Israel as an occupying power with a strong military, and Palestine, an occupied nation without defence capabilities, that faces daily expulsion, human rights violations and all the suffering associated with any situation of occupation.
The ICJ judges are expected to deliver their opinions on the request within six months, and they will also examine the legal status of Israel’s occupation and its implications.
